Game feeders are used for dispersing feed in order to attract or retain animals, such as deer, wild boar or birds, at a specific location. Game feeders may be used by hunters to control game to a site where hunting is to be performed, but may also be used by farmers to divert the game away from crops. The game feeder may be controlled to distribute feed at certain times, such as in mornings and evenings, when the game is typically eating.
A game feeder may comprise a feed container and a motor for actuating a spreader, causing dispersal of feed from the feed container. The game feeder may further comprise a timer for controlling the motor such that the game feeder may be set up to disperse feed at specific times of day. The same type of structure may also be used for a fish feeder, by positioning the feeder by a waterfront so as to enable distributing fish feed into the water.
In U.S. Pat. No. 8,555,812, a game feeder configured for remote monitoring is disclosed. The game feeder comprises a computer comprising a wireless driver configured to communicatively couple the computer to a wireless communication network. The game feeder also comprises a remote monitoring system, which comprises an instrumentation suite including elements such as a rainfall sensor, barometer, thermometer, hydrometer, and camera. These sensors are selected to provide environmental data for the game feeder so that a user may through the wireless communication of the computer remotely be made aware of conditions at the hunting site.
The remote monitoring system is set up to avoid the need for a user to physically travel to the location of the game feeder in order to control it. In this regard, the remote monitoring system in U.S. Pat. No. 8,555,812 may also periodically transmit a communication with system information or statistics to a user. However, the information received from the remote monitoring system needs to be analyzed remotely in order for decisions to be taken on the controlling of the game feeder.
In US 2012/0085288, a game-animal feeding unit is disclosed, comprising a feed-dispersion mechanism in combination with a data acquisition unit and remote communication module. A volume sensor may detect that a volume of feed in a feed drum is low and a signal to a remote location may be wirelessly transmitted. Feed quantity, battery charge and/or other parameters can be transmitted on a schedule or can be interrogated from a remote station.
Hence, there is a need for an improved control of game feeders in order to facilitate for a user to easily ensure that the game feeder is working in a desired manner.